BMW 3 series don't like water?

[Pooh]

This road is on my morning commute, I drove down it just before 07:00 this morning, saw the flood and turned around to find another route, it seems that others were more ambitious.
Is there a particular problem with 3 series BWMs and water or is it to do with the drivers?


http://www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/news/local/drivers-stranded-on-flooded-perthshire-road-1.193205

[The Nur]

http://www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/news/local/drive...

Fixed URL

[Pooh]

The Nur said:

http://www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/news/local/drive...

Fixed URL

Thanks!

[daveco]

Ooh you'll get at least 2 pages with this one.

[David87]

That picture is just bizarre! It would indeed seem that the 3 Series does indeed not like water.

[MrC986]

I understand that both 1 series and 3 series are afflicted with the same problem....a low air intake pipe which makes them a prime candidate for sucking up water driving through floods sadly.

[joebongo]

Yes these days you'd expect it to be 3 Audis thinking they were invincible not so much Beamers.

Most odd, or perhaps the Audis aquaplaned off the road before it got that deep?

Ok, sorry for Aldi bashing, back on topic....

[Toltec]

Given the way the number plate is hanging off I suspect they hit the water a some speed.

[Fastdruid]

Looking at the numberplate on the first one I'd hazard a guess that he hit the water at speed and that's why it broke down but that doesn't explain the other two.

[Nickbrapp]

63 plate too, gutted!

maybe they are x drive ones, you can go anywere in that init.

[JDMDrifter]

Low air intake combined with too much speed as others have said

[Pooh]

There is a slight hump in the road where the police car is sitting so I suppose he/she could have been nipping on in the dark and not had time to slow down much.

[rallycross]

Don't blame the car blame the idiot drivers.

[Patrick Bateman]

My friend at the local dealer says it's the idiot drivers who think, since it's a BMW, they don't have to worry about such things, it's a BMW.

[MitchT]

The first and second ones are the new shape. Maybe the third is too. Wonder if they were being delivered to a dealership? May be an idea to beware of soggy 3 Series if you're about to buy a new one!

[Pooh]

rallycross said:

Don't blame the car blame the idiot drivers.

It does seem a bit of a coincidence that they are all 3 series BMWs so I wondered if it might be down to the position of the air intake or are you suggesting that idiots only drive 3 series BMWs?

[TLandCruiser]

I guess they could not be bothered to take an alternative route thinking it will add time to their journey....I don't understand why people risk driving through flood water.

[Pooh]

TLandCruiser said:

I guess they could not be bothered to take an alternative route thinking it will add time to their journey....I don't understand why people risk driving through flood water.

Its about 3 or 4 miles longer to go round it, this road floods quite regularly in the winter and I have driven through it in my XC90 but I do not try it in a normal car unless the flooding is very slight.

[rallycross]

Pooh said:

rallycross said:

Don't blame the car blame the idiot drivers.

It does seem a bit of a coincidence that they are all 3 series BMWs so I wondered if it might be down to the position of the air intake or are you suggesting that idiots only drive 3 series BMWs?

I've got two 3 series but I wouldn't dare drive either of them through a flood unless I was sure it would be shallow all ten way through - some 3 series drivers obviously don't worry too much before taking the plunge!

[RobM77]

I'm on my fifth BMW and no, I've never noticed a problem with deep water compared to the countless FWD hire cars I've driven for work. On a purely theoretical note though, it wouldn't surprise me, as unlike most manufacturers, BMW actually care how well a car corners, so they tend to mount things lower than most other manufacturers to get the CofG down. Things like the exhaust pipe, electrical ancillaries connected to the engine etc, are all on average going to be lower on a BMW than most other makes of car, certainly things like Mondeos, Vectras, 407s etc. Park a 3 series next to a mundane FWD car and you'll see that instantly: